Loans worth US$46 million for projects in Africa and Caribbean were announced on the sidelines of the event – a drop in the ocean compared to the $53 trillion the International Energy Agency says need to be directed towards wind, solar and other green energy initiatives.

Funding would rapidly increase over the next “several years” said Figueres, suggesting $500 billion a year would be flowing towards clean energy projects by 2020.

A new and more ambitious set of national climate plans to replace those filed ahead of Paris could also help, she suggested, given the 188 lodged with the UN leave the world on course to warm above 2C.

“The agreement says there will be a dialogue in 2018 which is when countries will get together for a review,” she said.

“That’s 3 years where many things can happen. And 2018 is the next milestone from where they will then decide on a new INDC [climate plan] for 2023.”